Corporate America

jigman

Senior Member
Been on my job for thirty years, worked my way through 10 years production I’ve done basically every assembly Job in production, moved my way into Management starting as parts and shipping manager,then moved to assistant sales coordinator, to warranty Manager and Quality contrôl manager and was also administrating all Government GSA contracts, Which assume all three of these Job descriptions at once until it about caused me a stroke, went for a stress test which I was told my heart was good and I had no blockages my doctor told me if I didn’t make changes at my job that the stress could cause a stroke or heart attack. I requested from my GM that Quality Management be removed which he did, that was after assuming the role of all three for six years, ive continue the role of Warranty Management and GSA contracting since 2012 and recently our company was bought out by a much larger company and through the integration of the two companies merging together they are eliminating most of the Management jobs at the branch levels and main streaming the Management back through their corporate office, an HR personnel here at my office let it slip that my job was being eliminated which got back to me through an employee, talk about a kick in the gut, no 90 day required notice from Management, when I confronted upper management they told me it was true, I then ask for severance pay and ask to be released of my duties which I was denied, after thirty years of service and the sacrifices me and my family have made only seams right, I was told I was being pushed back to production to help with processes and job training which I explained to Management that after twenty years of management they putting me into a hostile environment, I’m 56 years old and been at the same place since I was 25. This is how big corporations work and I’m sure I don’t have a leg to stand on. I can either suck it up and loose what little pride I have left or just walk away. Any human resource people out thier with advice would be great. Sorry for the long post.
 

Keebs

Miss Moderator Ma Hen
Staff member
I sure hope something can be done, that just doesn't seem right(n)
.........good luck though!(y)
 

GeorgiaBob

Senior Member
I am not, nor have I ever been, "HR." Keep that in mind if you choose to read the rest of my post.

Fact is, you are management! All of the government agencies, laws, rules made over the last 70 years protect "labor" and leave anyone in "management" swinging in the breeze. You do have three options.

First, you can work for the new company (initially as labor) hoping for an opportunity to get back to supervision (and also - as "labor" - be prepared to use those aformentioned laws to respond to any acts against you in your "new" labor position).

Second, you can consult with a labor attorney and attempt to find a cause of action that might force the merged company to compensate you for the elimination of your job.

Finally, you can write a killer resume' and put your name out there on all the job boards, in hope of finding a new job. With the current job market, you should have a good chance of improving your finances with a better paying, or a more satisfying job.

Those options are NOT mutually exclusive. You could work on all three at the same time!
 

dwhee87

GON Political Forum Scientific Studies Poster
Sounds like you have the option to help with process optimization and job training, which sound to me like a lot less stress than what you've been doing. You didn't mention an pay cut, but I assume that may be part of it.

Option 1: Be the best dang process optimization and job training guy in the company, and have less stress (and hopefully an improved quality of life).

Option 2: Quit, and go find something else.

As a 56-year old, you are technically a protected class, and they likely have to be able to show why they chose you over others in similar positions, and that your age was not a factor. You may be able to pursue that (a lawsuit) as option 3....

Disclaimer....I'm not an HR guy or an attorney, but have recently stepped back closer to operations, and am immensely enjoying the lowered responsibility, stress, travel and accountability that I had as a regional manager.
 

Miguel Cervantes

Jedi Master
Very sorry to hear you are being put in this predicament.
Good luck finding a replacement job. The good news is, contrary to when I was laid off over 6 years ago, there has been a shift in hiring preferences and older more faithful employees are now more desirable. The millennial generation has about worn out their welcome at companies that want dedication and long term commitment.
 

jigman

Senior Member
Sounds like you have the option to help with process optimization and job training, which sound to me like a lot less stress than what you've been doing. You didn't mention an pay cut, but I assume that may be part of it.

Option 1: Be the best dang process optimization and job training guy in the company, and have less stress (and hopefully an improved quality of life).

Option 2: Quit, and go find something else.

As a 56-year old, you are technically a protected class, and they likely have to be able to show why they chose you over others in similar positions, and that your age was not a factor. You may be able to pursue that (a lawsuit) as option 3....

Disclaimer....I'm not an HR guy or an attorney, but have recently stepped back closer to operations, and am immensely enjoying the lowered responsibility, stress, travel and accountability that I had as a regional manager.
. I’m sure my company profile had a lot to do with upper management deciding to move me back in manufacturing due to all the production jobs the first ten years. The down side is the new company has doubled the capacity of production which has brought on a new work force without experience and a bunch of bodies that are here just for a check they have no drive to learn. Anything you try and push on them then you are disrespecting them and will find yourself in the HR office. The supervisor and Forman’s have been fighting this issue for the past eight months. I just feel like I’m being set up for failure. Before getting into manufacturing I was a third generation carpenter and pretty much do anything in the construction business. I’m really thinking of just moving on to another adventure in construction. I’m still in pretty good shape for my age.my wife has been and still is in the medical field for the past thirty years which she has my back on whatever I decide. I’m thinging about a small handy man type business and get away from it all. I’d be a much healthier and happy person knowing all I had to do is some type of handy work to help others and make a decent living in the process. I wouldn’t know what to act like living a stress free life style, I think thirty years is long enough being pushed and bullied by corporate people taking advantage of my loyalty and dedication, it happens way to often I’ve really been doing some soul searching and I believe it time. I really appreciate the suggestions and comments. Thank you.
 

Duff

Senior Member
Heck yeah!! Sounds like a great gig!
 

georgia_home

Senior Member
same happened to me after 20+ years. i was offered a job by the guy who first hired me at the start of the 20 years.

what i will say is this. it's better to look for a job while you have one. bird-in-the-hand, if you will.

you can see how the new position works out. while you evaluate things, you can look, or not, but at least you will have money coming in, and benefits.

leaving bridges in tact is usually good. it helped me once, very nicely. i left a position and went back to the same company less than a year later, with a much better offer/position then i had when i left.

i also did the gulf war/schwarzkopf/ bridge video once. the one where you see the guy on the motorcycle go across and a second later...

it's all what you think best.

whatever you choose, good luck.
 
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KyDawg

Gone But Not Forgotten
Like anything else there are Corporate environments and there are bad ones. I was lucky to have worked in a great one for 25 years. The came they Merger/buy out, and things changed overnight, I ended up with a lot more direct reports, and had know problem handling that. But the new company added a huge workload, of reporting, documentation, Audits and Regs. I hung on 5 years, and my blood pressure was sky high. I found myself sitting in front of a computer, and less time doing managing, and tried to talk to Corporate about it, but they were not interested in hearing anything I had to say. Lucky again, I was 62, had a good pension, and a decent IRA. I walked out the door one month from that day. After I left, the flood gates soon opened and a large percentage of middle management, either retired or found different POE. I went off my BP medicine soon after leaving.
 

Jeff C.

Chief Grass Master
Sorry to hear of your circumstances Jigman. In today’s times even a once valuable employee is about as expendable as a product with a shelf life.

Wish you well in the near future.
 

Oldstick

Senior Member
I know the feeling, Jigman. I experienced similar but different circumstances (with no pay cuts) when I was about 50 until I retired. In my case I requested to move back out of management. I did not have difficult people to work with but I think I contributed more in that last 8 years that all the rest of my career. A lot of it was spent tackling some of the more difficult (and very dull) tasks none of the "ambitious" young folks desired or had a clue about. Plus it was rewarding to help a lot of the newer folks up to speed. Many of them thanked me when I left.

If you can find a way to "relate" to your new hires, you might wind up being the shining star that helps them ramp up the production.
 

elfiii

Admin
Staff member
Thank goodness I got hosed by the big corporation early in life and made up my mind to leave it and never look back, and that has made all the difference.

Don't be afraid to take the plunge jigman. Small business and self unemployment are where the action is.
 
Very sorry to hear this. It's happening everywhere. Loyalty means nothing anymore.
Loyalty means nothing now days, neither does skills. They want the cheapest help they can get that can get the job done. To many young players out in the market that want to just to survive. If one can't cut the mustard, fire him and hire the next in line. At your age, self employed may be the only answer. I had to go this route.
 

NOYDB

BANNED
If you work directly for a man be loyal to him. But companies these days are owned by investors who can't pick a picture of an employee out to save their life. No loyalty owed to any but yourself.
 
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